The Insight editors are always telling us we can write about anything. So, to try something different, I asked AI what I should write about.
“Chicken.”
Erm…OK. That IS a bit different, but I’m sure I can make it work. Here are five bits of advice linked in some way to our feathered friends!
Chicken wings
Chickens have them. People can have them. Brewdog made a whole poster ad about them. But the ASA ruled that their use of the term “Wingman”, in relation to their alcohol product, was used within the ad in a manner that implied that drinking alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems.
Yes, the ruling isn’t strictly about chicken wings, but you probably enjoyed the tenuous link, right?! You can read more about this alcohol rule here.
Chick N or chick P?
The ASA assessed a claim from Sainsburys that by switching half of your chicken in a curry for chickpeas was “better for you and better for the planet”. The ASA ruled that because would be understood to be promoting general benefits to the environment of reducing meat protein, that the ad was compliant with the rules.
The environmental rules can be complex – make sure you are up to speed with our guidance here.
Don’t be a chicken!
Well, actually, don’t make an ad about alcohol which implies participants are chickens. Portraying drinking as a challenge, or encouraging people to behave in an irresponsible or daring way when drinking alcohol is always going to be asking for trouble, like in this ruling, which advertised a drinking game that was “NOT for snowflakes”.
What about other poultry?
Sorry, no ducks given. Offensive language is not appropriate. Especially in a paid-for ad on TikTok for a water bottle. Consumer research still indicates that the use of words such as “fuck” are likely to offend to such an extent that it should only be used in an ad when that ad is very carefully targeted to an audience that is unlikely to be offended. It’s worth bearing in mind that even allusions to words, such as “what the cluck!?” in a KFC ad, may be likely to offend.
Don’t get in a flap - we have guidance on offensive language.
If not writing about chicken, what are my alternatives?
In two paid-for social media ads, the advertiser promoted their meat alternative dog food, suggesting their plant-based diet was healthier for dogs than a meat-based diet. However, the ASA ruled that the advertiser did not have the required level of evidence to substantiate the claim.
Need some help with your poultry (or any other) ads? Speak to our hopefully-not feather-brained Copy Advice team. Hensational.
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